1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data base system for recording and managing various data.
2. Description of the Related Art
If information is managed by means of a data base system for searching a record in a file, not only a particular record can be directly retrieved by using an ID number and other identification indicators but also an operator can determine various conditions for character-strings or numerical values serving as keys for retrieval so as to freely and conveniently obtain a record matched with the conditions.
One type of such a data base system can treat desired data by superimposing indicators (called icons) which are composed of figures or the like and symbolize particular functions on any positions on a chart on the screen, and by designating a desired function from the icons. Examples of the functions symbolized by such indicators are displays of still images, the playback of motion pictures, voice and music, and displays of character-strings and texts.
In such a data base system, when indicators are moved to other positions on the chart or when they are copied to a new chart, the operator has to move or copy the indicators such as icons with a coordinate designation device such as a mouse one after the other. Thus, if the relationship of positions of indicators disposed on a chart is functionally important in the system where each of indicators has to be independently processed, the operator should perform very complicated operations.
For example, in the state where indicators are displayed as shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b, if it is necessary to obtain an indicator group shown in FIG. 1c by copying indicators on the second line of FIG. 1a to the position between the first line and the second line of FIG. 1b, the operator has to downwardly move the eight indicators on the lower two lines one after the other and then to copy the three indicators on the second line shown in FIG. 1a one after the other. In particular, in the case where the relationship of positions of indicators is precisely required like those disposed on a map, such operations become very complicated.
On the other hand, when processes have to be successively executed in accordance with a plurality of indicators, the operator should select each of the indicators one after the other. For example, in the case each indicator accords with a process of "displaying respective pictures", the operator should repeatedly select each of the indicators one after the other in order to display corresponding images one after the other. Thus, such operations become extremely complicated.